Railroad screw-spike-driving hand-tool.



H. L. HOLLIS & P. D@ MELGHER. n. L. MELUHEB, ADMIMsTATBIx or r. o. Mmmm, DBc'D.

RAILROAD SCREW SPIKE DRIVING HAND TOOL.

APPLwATmN'ljiLED Nov.1a,1e1z. Y 1,099,442, Patented June 9, 1914.

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Mi/adm@ I fmw- H. L. HOLLIS & P. O. MELCHER.

E. L. MELOHBR, ADMINISTBATRIX or P. o. MBLGHER, DBo'D. RAILROAD SCREW SPIKE DRIVING HAND TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18,1912.

A Patented June 9,1914

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- UNITED srA'rEs ,PATENT oEEIcE. l

HENRY L. HOLLIS, OE CHICAGO, ANDEEANK O. MELOHEE, LEoEAsEn, LATE OE WINNEIKA, ILLINOIS, BYAEDNA LANE-MEMBER, OF ooXsAcKIE, NEW YORK,

. wise thrust or overturning force ofthe rail.

citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of'Cook and State -of Illinois, and FRANK O. MELoIIER, late a of Illinois, have invented-a certain new and following is'aI full, clear, concise, and exact this specification. y

corresponding with the thickness of the base ADMINISTRATRIX OF SAID MELCHER.

RAILROAD SCREW-SPIKE-DRIVING HAND-TOOL.

To all whom it may concern .f`

Be it known that I, HENRY L. HOLLIS, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Winnetka, in the county of Cook and State useful Improvement i inRailroa'd Screw- Spike-Driving Hand-Tools, of which the description, reference being had to the .accompanying drawings, forming a part of `This invention relates torailway construction appliances and is directed particularly toward road equipment tools.- y

This invention contemplates a tool for driving railroad screw spikes, such as are employed in fastening the rails to the ties.

In recent years the screw spike has to some extent taken the place of the ordinary railroad spike. Thescrew spike has a number of advantages which commend its use. It is not so easily ypulled out of the tie. It does not wear out the'tie by constant redriving bothin the old hole and in new holes. It can be tightened in place to better advantage and in addition it permits the use of simple and effective means for supporting the screw spike in such a way as to prevent lateral displacement due to the side- The screw spike is provided near its upper end with a projecting flange the under side of which is filleted to conform to the top surface of the base of the rail. When the spike is driven'closealongside the base of the rail the filleted underside of the flange of the screw spike engages the upper surface of the bas-e of the rail. The tie plate commonly used ina construction of this kind is ordinarily provided with a boss of a height of the rail, the boss being located just under the side ofthe flange of the screw spike opposite the point at which the rail is engaged by that flange. In certain constructions, the tie may be'recessed to receive the base of the rail whereby the wood of the tie or tie block may be countersunk to receive the under side p Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed November 18, 1912. Serial No. 732,083.

pendicular to the base of the rail.

PatentedJ une 9, 1914i.`

of the flange of the screw spike at allk points except that at which the upper` edge of the base of the rail is engaged. In all such constructions, it is very important that the flange of the screw spikebe supported at Vthe point or points other than that at which the base of the rail itself is engaged. It is, of jcourse, equally important that the base of the rail be tightly engaged by the under side of the flange of the screw spike. It becomes important, therefore, that the'screw spike be driven into the tie exactly per be not the case, the flange of the screw spike will either fail to grip the base of the rail tightly as it should or it will fail to gain the desired support at points substantially opposite the point at which the edge of the rail is engaged. For example, if the screw spike be driven along aline which will bring the lower end of thel spike in underneath the base of the rail, it can be driven only to a point at which the outer edge of the screw spike flange engages the boss on the tie plate or the countersunk hole in a tie or tie block.` It will be impossible, therefore, to bring the inner edge ofthe flange down into engagement with the base of the rail and the rail will not be held tightly as it should be. On the other hand7 if the screw spike be driven at an angle .inclining away from theperpendicular the inner edge of the flange of the screw spike may engage the edge of the base of the rail, but the outer side of the flangewill not come down into engagement with the boss on the tie plate or into engagement with the countersunk hole in the tie. When this latter fault is present, the base of the rail will be engaged only by the inner edge of the flange and also the screw spike gains no support from the boss on the tie plate or from the edge of the countersunk hole in the wooden tie and the screw spike is, therefore, liable to be pushed to one side by the lateral pressure exerted on the rail.

It is the obj ect of this invention to provide an improved portable screw spike driving tool Vfor boring the holes into which the screw spikes are driven and for .driving the screw spikes into the holes thus drilled. This If that lObjectis attained by using the Vrail or rails out insuring the desired result of boring then holes and driving the screw spikesexactly perpendicular tothe bases of the rails.

V This inventio-n provides improved meansl for changing certain gear ratios in order` that a single driving crank may be utilized for drilling the holes and for driving the screw spikes, a change simply made in the ratios of the driving mechanism serving to provide 'the speed desired for drilling and also, when necessary, the increased power for driving the screw spikes. 1 Y

Other valuable features of improvement will be called to attention as this description proceeds.

vThis invention is embodied in the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the arrangement of this invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; Fig. 3 Vis a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1v except that the gear ratios are changed; Fig. 4 is a sectional View on an enlargedv scale, taken on the plane of the line 4 44 ofFig. 3 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and Fig..5 is a sectionalview on an enlarged scale taken on the plane of the line 5 5 of Fig. 3 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring iirst to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the road bed is illustrated at 6,- a tie or Sleeper is illustratedat7, and parallel rails are illustrated at 8, 8. The rails 8, 8

A are mounted upon the ties and are there retained by means ofscrew spikes, as shown. In Figs. 1 and 2, rails are shown resting directly upon the ties, whereas in Fig. 3 a tie plate is interposed betweenthe rails and the ties.. The portable hand tool will now lbe described. This tool is provided for drilling theholes in the ties or sleepers for the reception of the screw spikes; which tool is also adaptable for use in driving the screw spikes after the holes have been drilled. The said portable tool comprises a pair of plates 9 and 10, each adapted to rest upon the top of one of the rails 8-8 The plate 9 is considerably larger than the plate 8, inasmuch as it carries the drill holding tool and the gearing associated therewith. Cast integral with the plate 9, is a sleeve 11, and a collar 12. Webs 13,14, 15 and 16 connect said plate, sleeve'andrcollar.. The plate 9 is provided with an aperture 17, located directly below the collarv 12. An annular shoulder 18jwith7whichthe plate 9 -is proto utilize the aliningV vided, forms a collar corresponding to the collar 12, located directly thereabove. A bar 19, is bolted to the web 14 of the plate 9, by means of bolts 20-20, and is secured to plate 10 by means offscrews 2l-,21. Thus, when the vtroolis in ,position` with the plates 9 and 10, upon opposite rails, the

plate 9 lies in a plane parallel tothe plane of the tieor sleeper 7 ,Y over whichit is posi-4 tioned. Passing through the lcollar' 12, and

the aperture 17 is a tubular shaft 22, which at its lower end isprovidedwith a member 23 adapted to receive the head of a drill or screw spike.v vThe member 23, which has a flange 24 engaging' the lower end of the shaft 22, is retained in'position by means of a screw 25. passing through anV aperture .726,

as shownl in Fig. 4j `At itsupper end, the Y` shaft 22 V is provided with a handle 27, which is vretained thereon by meansof a threaded bolt 28, engaging a block 29. The block 29 is retained in position by means of a screw 30, extending through thev shaft 22, as

shown. The shaft -22' is lprovided with a longitudinal slot 31. Disposed around the shaft'22 is a gear wheel 32, which is positively secured to the collar 33,"of ahan'dl'e 34, by means V.of ai sleeve 3,5, extending through registering openings in the collar 33, andthe flange 36 of the gear wheel 32. The gear wheel andthe collar may also'be secured together by means of a key 37 as shown. The gear Vwheel 32 rests upon a Y gear wheel 38, of comparatively larger diameter, which is also' mounted upon the shaft 22. The gear wheel 38, which rests upon Vthe collar 12, 'has cast integral therewith a key 39; engaging in the slot 31 of the shaft 22. The shaft 22 is provided with a notch 22?, near the upper end thereof, which is adapted to be'engaged by a plungerf40, carried by theV sleeve'35. yA helical spring 41 holds the plunger 40 in the notch 22a when the handle 34 Vis in the drilling position shown in Fig. 1. The plunger 40 is provided with a milled knob 42, as shown. In the outside end of the sleeve 35, is a pair of diametrically opposite slots 43. A pair of wings 44, carried by the plunger 40, project into these slots when the handle 34 is in the position shown in Fig. 1. lVhen it is desired that the plunger be disengaged'froin the notch 22a, the plunger is drawn outwardly againstthe tension of the spring 41, and the wings 44 are moved to the position shown in Fig. 4. Y The plunger'is then held in the position shown in Fig. 4. Disposed in the sleeve 11, on the left-hand side of the Vplate 9, is afshaft 45', upon which is loosely vshaft 45 is retained Vin the sleeve 11- by Vhen the tool is to Ibe used for drilling a hole `to receive a screw spike, the plates' 9 and 10 are adjusted upon the rails 8 8,

as clearly shown in Fig. 1. A U-shaped member 52, is hooked under the upper portion of the right hand rail 8, and over the plate 10 and bar 19.V A pair of coacting wedges 53 and 54, when driven together, thrust the plate 10 into rigid engagement with the rail upon which it rests. As the plate 9 is disposed in the plane Vparallel to the tie or sleeper 7, and the shaft 22 is 6H posed perpendicularly to the plate 9, it follows that the drill carried by the lower end of the shaft 22, is also perpendicular to the tie or sleeper. `As shown in Fig. 1, when a hole is to be drilled, the handle 34 is in its upper position with the' plunger 40 engaging the notch 22a. When the handle 34 is turned, thereby turning the shaft 22, andthe drill carried thereby, the gear 38 keyed to the shaft 22, drives the idler gear 46, which turns freely upon its shaft 45. The idler gears 46 and 48, are of no use in so far as the drilling operation is concerned. Owing to the fact that the key 39 of the gear .38 rides in the longitudinal slot 31, the shaft 22 may be lowered as the drill moves down into the tie' or sleeper. 1t will therefore be seen that in the drilling operation where great power is not necessary and where speed is desirable, the Vdrill 54 makes one rotation for every turn of the handle 34. Holes may be drilled 'in the ties or sleepers on either side ofthe rails 8 8, by merely adjusting the position of the drill relatively to the ties or sleepers.

When it is desired that the tool be used for driving screw spikes, the drill 54 is replaced by a spike 55, which has been inserted in one of the' previously drilled holes 56. As considerable power is necessary to drive the spikes, the handle 34 and the gear 32 are moved down to the position shown in Fig. 3, whereupon the gear 32 meshes with the idler gear 48. The plunger 40 having necessarily been withdrawn from the notch 22a, the gear 32 is free to turn upon the shaft 22. As the gear 32 is rotated by turning the handle 34, it drives the idler gear 48, and the gear 46, keyed to the gear 48. The gear 46 in turn drives the gear 38, which owing to the fact that it is keyed to the shaft 22, drives the shaft 22, and the screw spike carried by the lower end of the shaft 22. Owing to the ratios of the gears just mentioned, the shaft 22 is rotated at rails at all times.

a speed much slower than the speed at which the handle 34 is turned. In practice we have found that a ratio of one turn of the shaft 22 to seven turns of the handle 34, secures the necessary amount of power at a minimum sacrifice of speed.

From the foregoing description it will be' seen that we have provided a tool for railroad work which is readily adjustable for drilling or driving spikes, as desired, and one which may be easily moved from one position to another. The plates 9 and 10, resting upon the rails 8-'-8, retain the shaft 22 and the drill or spike carried thereby in aposition perpendicular to the base o-f the Thus all of the screw spikes are' driven into the ties in a line normal to the plane of the ties, which of co-urse is very desirable, owing to the fact that the screws do not perform their duty as they should unless they are driven perpendicularly into the ties.

While we have illustrated our invention in the particular embodiments herein shown and described, we do not wish to be limited to these specific constructions but desire to claim any modifications or equivalents which may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

What we claim is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a longitudinally shiftable shaft, a pair of idler gears fixed against rotation independently of each other, a pair of gears mounted lon said shaft and shiftable longitudinally thereof, said last mentioned gears adapted to mesh with said idler gears, one of the gears on said shaft having twopositions thereon, and means for driving said last mentioned gear, said shaft, when said last mentioned gear is in o-ne of its said positions, being driven with said last mentioned gear, and when said gear is in its other position, being driven therefrom at a different rate through said idler gears and the other gear on said shaft, said shaft comprising a portion adapte'd to carry a drill or screw spike.

2. A device of the class described comprising a supporting framework, a shaft rotatably mounted in said framework arranged to move longitudinally of its aXis independently of the framework, a pair of gearsv mounted on the shaft, a first one of said gears being held against rotation independently of the shaft at all times, said shaft being arranged to move' longitudinally of its axis independently of said gear, asecond gear mounted on said shaft, said second gear when in one position on the shaft being held against movement relatively to the latter and when in the second position upon the shaft being movable relatively to the shaft both rotatably and longitudinally of the axis Copiesof this patent may be obtained for ent speeds when the second gear mounted on the shaft is in its different positions.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 8th day of November, A. DV.,

y ',HENRY'L. HOLLIS. Witnesses:

ALBERT G.VMCCALEB, A, HUNTER. In witness whereof, I hereuntosubseribe my name'this 11th day of November, A. D.,

' EDNA LANE MELCHER, Y Admvm'stmtrz'w for the estate of Frank O. y Melaka, deceased.

Witnesses: Y e j BARNET'D. LANE, ETHEL SHUFELT.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

